JUST A THOUGHT: “When life gives you dirt, grow some flowers. When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change.” – Avatar: The Last Airbender
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PRAYING WHILE SINGING: “I’ve started my novena prayer,” veteran composer Louie Ocampo laughed when reminded that he was the only inexperienced singer between Rey Valera and Ogie Alcasid, his partners in a bright new concert by Viva Concerts.
Singing is said to be praying twice.
The one-night only event is called “Kanta Ko, Panahon N’yo,” set on Dec. 2 at the Kia Theater in Cubao.
Louie said he’s bravely facing the live challenge just for the heck and the fun of it.
He’s doing two numbers, none of them solo acts.
One is a duet with Valera; the other with the more seasoned Alcasid.
“We are singing each other’s songs,” he said.
Valera, Ocampo, and Alcasid are three of the most prolific pop songwriters in contemporary times. From their brilliant minds have sprung the following hit songs: “Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang,” “Nandito Ako,” “Ikaw,” “Kahit Isang Saglit,” “Maging Sino Ka Man,” “Pangako sa ’Yo.”
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LUMANG TUGTUGIN: The three noted the dominant sound in local recording differs much from their orientation and taste.
“Songs today have changed drastically from how we used to do them,” says Valera.
Ocampo chimed in, “During our time, songs had peaks and valleys. The refrain was the height of its melody, reaching out like a climax.”
These days, songs seem to have lost their rhyme or reason, says Alcasid.
The three are often at a loss on what to do next in line with fast-changing fads in music.
For a time, Valera stopped writing altogether. He wonders who his audience might be, if they’re still there at all.
“Nakakawalang gana,” he sighed. Their songs hardly ever got airplay even as they’re recorded by new artists. There’s a certain sound to them, according to Ocampo, quoting his children, who find his songs sounding so 80s.
Nevertheless, Ocampo, Alcasid, and Valera continue writing, saving their compositions on their computers.
Someday, they hope people will rediscover their kind of music and pick them up again.
After all, taste in music is a cycle that gets broken now and then by trends and fads, only to stage a comeback in another time and place. (NESTOR CUARTERO)